There is a saying that mummy told me that always stuck in my mind: The only constant thing in life is change. This made me think about climate a lot, because if change is constant then climate change should be normal right? Wrong. Climate change as I came to learn is the human induced change. Nomenclature is important. Definitions are important. Our activities are a catalyst for the shifts away from natural variation. Things like flowering plants, rain patterns and ocean currents are showing huge deviation away from the previous trends.

It is even more troubling for Small Islands and coastal countries like most of the Caribbean region. To lump Latin America and the Caribbean does our people a great injustice as we have so many fundamental differences. Languages, history, geography, culture. I know definitely a change that will be welcomed is to identify the Caribbean as itself. Nomenclature is very important. Definitions are critical. The way we plan ahead and seek solutions will make or break the region in the face of climate change impacts.

I can’t say that climate change is all bad. We are seeing resilience and innovation at rates we haven’t seen in a long time. What we must work on is looking ahead at the implications of what we are implementing, ensuring carrying capacities and waste management. We have to preserve what needs to be preserved and be able to adapt quickly when we see impacts coming. Nomenclature must encompass every detail. Definitions must be as accurate as possible. Only when we accept change and plan aheyfor it will be be able to navigate it.

Katrina Khan-Roberts